Saturday, July 11, 2015

I can remember My Little Pony when they were around 20 years ago. My sister loved them she had so many and I bought some for my oldest daughter as well. Now they are back and popular again and my daughter will be the one this year that will be wanting them. She will simply love if I win the giveaway at Mama Smiths where a set of 4 are the prize giveaway ends July 13th

Yet another giveaway that princess will love. A dvd of a couple of her favorite characters Max and Ruby. I love the lessons they teach the kids. Want your chance to win then head over to the blog Mom and more giveaway ends July 19

When I was first married we had little to no money. We did our laundry with a wringer washer as we had no washer and dryer nor could afford any and it saved money by doing it the old way that had worked so well with our grandmothers. Now these wringer washers are not used so much any more and are being repurposed in so many different ways Check out a few of these

how about this idea a fun cool way to keep your cold drink whether pop or something stronger cold

Want a vintage bathroom or utility room? Add a wringer washer instead of a sink and it will look very cool.

Old wringer washers and washtubs work great to help decorate the patio with container gardens

Bison have been around for quite some time. Some species of bison have become extinct through history as they were hunted for furs and meat at different times. Here in America the American bison can be found. Through out history the bison were known as buffalo however they are only distantly related to the true buffalo of yester year.

In America bison are used as meat but are not widely spread in the commercial world. Bison has fewer calories and fat than beef and there fore is healthier. Here in southern Illinois several Bison farms speckle the land. One local farm has 350 bison that roam over more than 1000 acres. The bison dine on grass and grain. There are no chemicals or hormones in their diets. The meat products that are made from bison include steaks, roasts, ribs and more.

Bison Chili

Bison chili is the perfect comfort food.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients:

1 lb ground bison

1 medium onion, chopped

1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 16 oz. ccans diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Grated cheddar cheese

Sliced jalapenos

Cooking Directions:

In a non-stick skillet, saute the ground bison and onion until the meat is browned and the onion is tender.

Add the pinto beans, tomatoes, water and seasonings.

Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water if chili becomes too thick.

Add chopped cilantro and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Spoon into bowls and garnish with grated cheese or diced jalapeno peppers.

Friday, July 10, 2015

This giveaway is one that I am sure the grand kids will love. Pretend cooking will be even more fun if I am lucky enough to win the Little Tikes Cook’n Grow BBQ Grill Play set. You can have your chance to win one for someone special in your life as well. Simply head over to the blog Daily Deals from a Nerd Mom and enter giveaway before July 31st.

This giveaway would be for me and the hubby. We have been trying really hard to eat better as we both have health issues but time often gets in our way. A food service like fresh and lean would definitely help us out. If you are like us then you will want to enter the giveaway on the blog Mom Knows Best Giveaway ends July 22nd

The winner of this giveaway will have lots of girly items to have fun with. My princess is both girly and can keep up with the boys as well. I am sure she would love this gift set and brag about it to the boys. If you want a chance to win head over to the blog Beautifully Poor and enter giveaway this ends July 30th

I love that this giveaway would make my mornings so much easier. I am an early riser not by choice but because the job calls for it. I love the fact that it takes just a short period of time to make a pot of coffee with this awesome prize that you could win on the blog 3 princes and a princess 2 Giveaway ends July 30th

I can remember the first time I learned about Tombstone. I was maybe 8 years old and saw in a local diner that they served Tombstone pizza. Now many years ago (I aint gonna tell you how many) tombstone comes out with 2 new pizza toppings. I would love to try them both and if I win this giveaway I can. You can win to there will be 3 winners in this giveaway hosted by 1 stop mom. Giveaway ends July 20th

July has many food holidays one of which I would consider one of my favorite picnic / cook out foods of all times. I loved baked beans for a long time and while I make mine many different ways I can say that the following recipe from the blog Kevin and Amanda is one that I think any bacon and bean lover would want to try. With the amount of bacon packed into this casserole and oh my that delicious baked bean flavor as well it is one that needs to be tried. Head over there and you can find a great step by step tutorial as well. Hope you all enjoy!!

2 (15 oz) cans Van Camps pork & beans

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pkg lipton onion soup mix

½ cup water

½ cup ketchup

½ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp prepared mustard

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1 lb mostly cooked bacon

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients except bacon together and spread in a 9x13 dish. Top with cooked bacon. Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for 30 mins, then uncovered for 15 mins.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

This great game from educational insights will be the winner of the giveaway on the blog Mom and More. Who will win the game Crowded Waters? Enter before July 24th it may be yours

What an interesting book The Princess and the Pony. I love this book as it sounds like a lesson is to be learned. You can enter a give away on the blog Baby Loving Mama. This Scholastic book will be given to one lucky winner along with a $50 visa gift card. Enter this giveaway by July 20 and it could be yours.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

July is national ice cream month. Oh the goodness of ice cream the many flavors and treats that are available. I personally love all of them but they are definetly all good to me. I am a diabetic and have been one for over 10 years. I have struggled from time to time with my blood sugar. In the past the world was a challenge as there were many delicious things but most of them were high in carbohydrates that was bad for me. The world has slowly started changing and there has been more and more treats offered that contain fewer carbohydrates and are considered low glycemic.

Graeter's the makers of super premium ice cream, baked goods, and candy are now the makers of low glycemic ice cream. Many years ago in 1868 a young Louis Graeter began to sell ice cream in the street market. His wife would be the one that would stick with the old fashioned way of making their delicious ice cream when the world started to move at a faster pace and the market became harder and faster to live in. The family would start with one shop and more as time traveled on. All of the shops sold the delicious ice cream that was loved in the beginning. Through the generations the family stayed strong and the ice cream was there through sugar rationing and all the strife's of the world. In the early 80's the first franchise store would be opened in Kentucky by the Graeter's this one would be followed by more. Now you can find the delicious Graeter's ice cream in your local Kroger store or order online.

The best ice cream in the world is now available with 1/2 the sugar. Graeter's has created delicious ( yummy as my grand-daughter said) ice cream so we can all enjoy that same sweet treat that has been around for years.

The low-glycemic ice cream comes in four delicious flavors.

chocolate chip

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean

mint chocolate chip

butter pecan

We received the Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean and Mint Chocolate Chip. I loved them both and loved the fact that I could eat ice cream with fewer carbs. I simply hate it when I want something so bad but know that if I use my carbs up to munch it then I will not have enough for the entire day and go hungry or go over the amount of carbs. The taste of the ice cream was simply amazing it was delicious and I truly enjoyed it. The ice cream was shipped in dry ice Styrofoam box and was delivered to our front door. It was hot that day as it was in the mid to late June and the temps here are not cool. It however arrived ready to eat and in great condition.

whether you are looking for a delicious frozen treat that you can have while you diet or if you are like me and are on a life long diet because of health reasons you definitely need to check out Graeter's low glycemic ice cream

Its a great time to share with you one of my favorite garden recipes. I have friends who are all ready getting goodies out of their garden and I am enjoying the bountiful bundle of goodness with them. If you are enjoying gardening produce out of your own garden or from a local farm stand or wherever you get your produce I hope you will enjoy this yummy recipe

Make the dressing: In a small bowl
or large measuring cup, stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, capers, Dijon
mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and Sriracha sauce (if desired).
Let the dressing sit while you prepare the vegetables, or refrigerate until
ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine the green
and purple cabbages, carrots, sweet peppers, green onions, and basil (if using)
and toss to mix.

Pour the dressing over the
vegetables and toss to evenly coat. Set the coleslaw aside for at least 15
minutes before serving, or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. Adjust
seasonings to taste and stir in a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice just
before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Cooks with chowder curiosity will find a worthy cooking technique adapted from the French by many cultures.

Think of chowder as a thickened stew. Most often, that’s with milk or cream, but more often half and half these days. The original thickening was crushed biscuits, but soda crackers work well.

The fun comes in deciding the ingredients. Most chowders are seafood and vegetables. Clam chowder made with cream is the most popular, but there’s an exception to the dairy rule. New England clam chowder is made with cream. Manhattan clam chowder substitutes chopped tomato sauce for the cream. Other chowders include corn, white fish, potato and squash.

Chowder’s name comes from its cooking pot, the French chaudiere. In New England, it’s “chowda.” Fishermen in Newfoundland, who threw a selection of their catch into a pot and cooked it in cream, may have made the first chowder. Potato chunks were often added.

New England remains the chowder capital of America. Its popularity extends into Maritime Canada. The oddball is Southern Illinois Chowder, a thick, French-Indian stew. “Chowder time” there starts with the tomato crop and is served at social gatherings, which are called “chowders.”

Southern Illinois Chowder

o1 gallon water

o1 1⁄2 pounds stewing beef, cut in chunks

o1 1⁄4 pounds boneless chicken, cut up

o1 small head cabbage, chopped

o3 large stalks celery, chopped

o3 cups carrots, diced

o1 large onion, chopped

o1 cup mushrooms, sliced

o2 quarts peeled and diced potatoes

o2 1⁄2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, thawed

o1 (15-ounce) can lima beans, drained

o24 ounces tomato sauce

o1 1⁄2 cups frozen corn, thawed

o1⁄2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

oSalt and pepper to taste

Add beef to boiling water, cover and simmer for an hour. Add chicken and continue cooking another 1 1⁄2 hours, stirring frequently. Add cabbage, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion, then the potatoes. Cook for 45 minutes. Add green beans. Cook another hour. Add lima beans, and cook a final 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Near the end of the time, add the tomato sauce, corn and pepper sauce and seasonings.

Makes 20 servings.

Note: Use for a slow boil. Be sure to stir often to prevent sticking. If shrimp and scallops are substituted for the beef, add in last 15 minutes.